Big question for Steve McClaren: Who will be Newcastle’s captain this season?

Miles Starforth

Steve McClaren is yet to decide on his Newcastle United captain – just five days before the new season gets underway.

McClaren has passed the armband around his “senior group” in the absence of club skipper Fabricio Coloccini.

Goalkeeper Tim Krul captained the team in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach.

Daryl Janmaat, Jack Colback and Moussa Sissoko are among those to have worn the armband in the absence of Coloccini, who has been unable play because of an Achilles problem. But it’s now decision time for McClaren ahead of Sunday’s season-opener against Southampton at St James’s Park.

McClaren said: “You’ll find that out (this week), because it’s been passed around all over the place, hasn’t it?

“I think there’s only me that’s not worn it.”

Coloccini is not certain to keep it even if he does return to the field.

Asked if he had made a decision, McClaren said: “No.

“I’ve been asked before every game, but you know what – it’s not that I don’t care, but they should all be captains.

“We have a senior group of players and what I’ve done is passed it around the senior group.

“Coloccini is the club captain. Will he play next week? We don’t know.

“Will he be captain next week? We don’t know. Let’s first get him on the training field, let’s get him playing and see if he can start.”